Hey, Readers. Today’s post is short and sweet, but it’s something I first became aware of last week. It’s also nice to have something lighthearted and fun for a change.
Some of my past Mystery Monday/Legends and Lore posts have involved what I call strange coincidences. I became aware of the Cummins family just last week. While I wouldn’t exactly call this incident strange, and maybe not even a coincidence, it’s a bit… unexplainable.
On February 20, 1952, Virginia resident Carol Cummins gave birth to a daughter, Catherine. On February 20, 1953, she gave birth to a second child. Not so strange. I’ve known of siblings to share the same birthday, although born in separate years. However, Mrs. Cummins gave birth to other children on February 20, 1956, 1961, and 1966. Yes, you counted right. Five children from one family were born on the same day and in different years.
The Cummins siblings, Catherine, Carol, Charles, Claudia, and Cecelia entered the Guinness book of records in 1977 as “the only verified record of a family producing five single children with the same date of birth.” Record keepers estimated the odds of that happening were 17.7 billion to one.
The family had two additional children, Cheryl, and Chris, who were born on different days. The family joke is that the father, who was a football coach, was less busy in the month when the children were conceived. In the years she wasn’t in labor, Mrs. Cummins made birthday cakes for all the children. Each got their own decorated cake—they didn’t have to share.
I couldn’t find a creative commons or public domain photo of the family, but a 2014 article in the Daily Mail was the source of much of my information. If you’d like to read more and see some family photos, just click on this link.
If we were to write something like this in a book, people would think it to be unbelievable. This story shows that truth is stranger than fiction.
39 Responses
Wow, that’s amazing, Joan.
I thought so too, Denise.
Quite a coincidence
For real.
That is too crazy to believe in a bit of fiction. Cool post.
Right? If we wrote something like that, we’d be criticized for taking too much creative license.
These were natural births, not induced or Caesarian?
The article didn’t say, but I believe they were natural. There was one place that said something about the years she wasn’t in labor, she made birthday cakes.
I wouldn’t have wanted to be in her shoes!
Me either!
That’s utterly amazing, Joan. Thanks for sharing. Life really IS stranger than fiction, sometimes. 😀
So true, Marcia.
That’s amazing. I wouldn’t have believed it and definitely would have scoffed if I read it in a book.
Exactly! I would have as well.
Wow, that’s amazing! I wondered the same as Liz.
That was my first thought as well, but I didn’t see anything about her having a c-section.
Wow! February sure must have been a busy month for that family! And July must have been a hot month, not just temperature wise, for Mom and Dad:)
Yep, lots of hot Julys for those parents. 🙂
😊
My grandfather and his brother were born on the same day, ten years apart. I’ve never heard of even three siblings sharing a birthday, let alone five. It is nice to find an oddity that’s pleasant once in a while. Thanks, Joan.
My ex-sister-in-law and her sister were born on the same day three years apart. If I recall, they were both a couple of weeks early. But five on the same day? I can’t imagine.
Wow. It’s conceivable that chance would make this possible once out of 17 billion births. Lol. How totally sweet that the mom made separate cakes for each birthday. What an exciting time of year for the family! Thanks for the fun, Joan.
She was one busy mama that time of year. I’m sure the family had a lot of fun with celebrations.
🙂
Wow! That is just bizarre, Joan. My two granddaughters were born on the 11th, but different months and years. And yes, I agree that truth is much stranger than fiction many times. Thanks for sharing.
We have a lot of March and December birthdays in our family, but none on the same day and/or year. I just can’t imagine this.
Wow, that is really something. As Staci said, our grandfather and uncle shared a same birthday.
You are right, if that were written in any book, no one would believe it. Like they say, truth is stranger than fiction.
Yep, no one would believe it.
Great story, Joan. I can’t imagine having five little one birthdays on the same day. The sugar high must have been deafening. Thaks for sharing.
Me either! I can’t imagine that many toddlers running around the house.
I’ll be in the back yard
😀
😁
Wow! That is definitely one for the record books, Joan. What a bizarre but fun story. I loved this!
It really is, Mae. I came across it in an email I get from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, then found the online article.
I love the Old Farmer’s Almanac!
I’ve known two siblings who shared a birthday (different years), but five? That’s incredible.
My ex-sister-in-law shared a birthday with one of her siblings. But five? I can’t even imagine.
This is incredible. I have two brothers born on February 10th but 9 years apart. You do find the most amazing stories.